Writing instrument



P 16, 1952 L. P. MARTIN WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 12, 1948 T v N Ada Patented Sept. 16, 1952 WRITING INSTRUMENT Lynn-.P; Martin-,I-Fort Madison'Iowa, assignor to. I .W-..,A. Shealfer Ben Company, Eort ;Mad;is,on, Iowa,, a. corporation of Delaware 1 Application November 12, I948, Serial No. 59,58?

2 Claimswl. 12042.03)

invention relates to a writing instrument having; a retractable writing point and has for an object the provision of a simple, convenient andpositive controlfor the positioningfof, the writing point with respectto the body of the writinginstrument. g g

In accordance with'my invention, the writing point may be moved totheprojected position by m'anuallypushing; on acontrol'element and may ber novedto the retracted position by manually twisting the same control element.

Accordingly, it is another objectof my invention to provide an improved push-twist control for a writing inst-rume having a retractable writing-point. .f My invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference. to, the following; description, taken in connection withv the accompanying drawings, and its scope wil-l'be pointed out in the appended claims.

r In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a, broken view. of a ball point pen constructed in accordance with my invention with the outer body portion in cross section showing the writing point in its projected posi-- tion;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same pen showingthe, writing point in the retracted position;

3 is across-sectional viewtaken along line 3+L3j0fj Fig, 1.; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective View ofa latch mechanism for the penshown in Fig: 1.

Referring more specifically to the figures, a body member 1 comprising a barrel 2 and a tapered lower end 3 surrounds the main portion of a.writing element 4 having a writing point 5. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, I have suggested a ball point Writing element, but my invention is not limited to such an application. The writing element 4 comprises a removable cartridge and contains the usual ink reservoir and ink passageways communicating with the tip and ball of the instrument.

The writing element 4 is slidable within the body member I to a projected position shown in Fig. 1 and to a retracted position shown in Fig. 2. A spring 6 urges the writing element 4 toward its retracted position. In the embodiment shown, spring 6 is a compression spring seated on and located between a shoulder 6a on a sleeve 4a snugly fitted within the body member and a shoulder 61) on the writing element.

An actuating mechanism is employedto control the position of the writing element 4 with is fixed relative to the body member I.

respect. to the body member I The actuating mechanism includes a push rod 1' located above and axially abutting the writing element 4.. The; actuating mechanism also includes a. shell 8, suitably connected to push rod'l by pin 9, and a-cap l0 engaging the she1l 8 by friction fit and a pair of cooperating spun grooves: Gwand- Illa. The body member I also includes a barrel ex tension H threadably engaged with the sleeve 4a and a centrally located sleeve lla connected to the upper end of theextension H by cooperate ing spun grooves ll-band lie on an integral; flange [2. The sleeve ll'w also includes a. centrally located raised portion inthe form of a cylinder l3 provided with a spiral groove 22.

The actuating mechanism is maintained inaxial alignment with the body member I' by: virtue of sliding connection of cap I'll-withthe body member [,sliding connection of the shell 8 with thebarrel extension II, and sliding connection of the push rod- 1 with sleeve Ha. 1

A's previously stated, the spring 6- urges the. writing element 4 toward its retracted position. In the retracted position, a flange [5 at the end of the writing element 4- bears against the flange l2 thereby preventing furtherupwardmovement of the actuating mechanism and the writingpele ment. This is clearly: shown in 2.

When it is desired to move the writing element 4 to its projected position, the cap i0 need be only pushed downwardly with respect to the body member I. Such movement will be transmitted to the shell 8, the push" rod 1- and the writing element 4 as will be apparent inview of the mechanical interconnection of these par-ts previously described. Whenv the writing instrument reaches its fullyprojected position, alatch Hi pivotally mounted on the shell 8 by means-of a pivot ring I! within a circumferential groove Ila will move inwardly under the influence of a split ring spring [8 within a circumferential groove l8a. An upper edge IQ of thelatch I6 will then engage a shoulder 14 on the cylinder I3 which The writing instrument will then be located and held by shoulder 14 in its projected position. It will be noted that the downward movement of the actuating mechanism is limited by the abutment of a flange 20 secured to the upper end of the push rod 1, with a flange 21 located on the upper end of the sleeve Ila.

One or more grooves 22 are cut in the cylinder [3. This groove is of sufilcient radial depth andcircumferential width to permit the passage is in its inward or engaging position. When it is desired to release the locking action of the latch I5 and the shoulder i4, it is necessary only to twist the cap III. This twisting movement is transmitted directly to the shell 8 and the latch l6. When the latch [6 becomes aligned with the lower end of the groove 22, the spring 6 will drive the writing element 4 and the actuating mechanism upwardly since such movement is no longer restrained by engagement of the latch 16 with the shoulder l4.

Preferably, the groove 22 is substantially out of axial alignment with the writing instrument. The action of such a spiral groov is that the latch I6, in moving through the groove 22, will be moved out of axial alignment with the lower end of the groove 22. Therefore, if the cap I0 is again moved downwardly to expose the writing point 5, the latch I6 will engage shoulder 14 and maintain the writing element 4 in its projected position rather than slipping through groove 22 as would be the case if the groove were formed in axial alignment with the instrument.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that when the cap. [0 is moved downwardly to project the writing element, the spring I8 will yield and permit outward pivotal movement of the latch I6 around the pivot ring I! in order that the latch, l6 may move downwardly past the cylinder l3. The inner surface of the latch I8 is, of course, smoothly tapered in order that the latch may be moved smoothly outwardly upon engagement of that surface with the upper edg of the cylinder 13. V

It will be noted that project-retract mechanism herein described permits the writing instrument to beaxially separated in a central portion for the removal and replacement of the writing element 4, when and if required. This separation may be effected by projecting the writing element as above described and then carefully twisting the cap until the retracting positionis reached. Travel to an intermediate retract position is permitted manually and when the latch i6 is located in the groove 22, the cap 10 is fur-,

ther twisted to unscrew the barrel extension ll from the sleeve 4a. The latch I6 in the groove 22 permits the cap I0 and the extension ii to be turned together for the unscrewing operation. Then the cap and actuating mechanism may be separated and the writing element removed for replacement. The two parts may be reassembled in the same manner.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from my invention in its broader aspects, and I, therefore, aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A writing instrument comprising a first body member including a barrel having a forward writing point end and an opening therethrough and including a collar on the rearward "end thereof, a writing unit including a writing point located substantially within said barrel and slidable therein to a point retracted position and to a point projected position, a second body memxber slidably mounted'on a rearward end of said first body member for normal movement of said unit to point projecting position, said collar being interposed between said first and second body members and having a forward latch-engaging surface, a first spring urging said writing unit and said second body member rearwardly toward point-retracting position, a latch pivotally secured to said second body member having a rearward collar-engaging surface for retaining said writing unit and said second body member in point-projected position, a second spring urging said latch inwardly toward collar-engaging position, said latch having a forwardly inclined surface permitting the 'latch to ride over-said collar upon forward movement of said second body member with respect to said first body mem.-- ber, means defining a continuous groove in said collar providing a passageway for said latch and permitting disengagement of said rearward surface of said latch from the forward-surfaceof said collar, said first and second body members being also mounted in axially rotatable relationship whereby to move said latch into registry with said passageway.

2. The writing instrument recited in claim 1 wherein said groove in said collar is substantially helical in shape.

LYNN P. MARTIN.

REFERENCES oI'rEn The following references are of record in the file of this patent: z

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

